overwhelmed.

My dad is ill, in home hospice for one week now after 4 days in hospital

his wife not coping well with this challenge.

wants to put him in the nursing home part of their retirement community

In lockdown due to virus.

no visitors for a dying man.

doesn’t work for me.

Rage, frustration, overwhelm.

pick a card any card.

trying to be adult,

exploring options, alternatives.

Stay tuned.

Hi Judy and Dad,Here’s your drop-off for today.You have 3 quarts of chicken noodle soup.Homemade with organic chicken.I’d freeze 2 and use 1 now.Plenty for both of you.Homemade oatmeal raisin cookies. EnjoyA bag of store-bought Sandies shortbreads.Dad liked them when we were kids and since Will’s cooky source is closed this seemed a reasonable substitution.My leftover bag of Chux/absorbent pads.Should be helpful in fewer bed changes and until you get your supply from Hospice.These are Dad’s essential medications:Lasix (furosemide) 20mg every morning.Its a diuretic, so don’t take before a nap or bed.Metoprolol 25 mg.I half tablet each morning.Works to slow heart rate and reduce the workload on the heart.Everything else can be stopped.Two small pills a day ought to be less of a problem to take, and if he really doesn’t want to take them, I can show you how to crush them and put them in a spoonful or two of applesauce.Your housephone not working is a bit of a problem.If Frasier can’t get in to do a repair, would you consider using your cell phone so you can be contacted?I can also get a smart phone and add it to my plan, so that you could have video/Facetime capability if you’re interested.Not so expensive these days.I’m going to leave all this on your deck, and I am also going to email a copy of this note, so you have it for reference, particularly as concerns Dad’s meds.Hope your conversation with Frasier Medical went well.Love,Stephanie

The caption for the photo came up when I attempted to insert the drawing’s attribution (its free from Pixabay, thank you). its the note I wrote when I left a delivery earlier this week at their place. Strangely appropriate.

Peace and healing to us all in the overwhelm, which is today’s Ragtag Daily Prompt

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19 thoughts on “overwhelmed.”

I’m so sorry to hear that your dad is not doing well. I seriously considered moving to a retirement home a year ago, after watching it in building phases for about 5 years before. At the last minute I decided that I’m not ready to do that just yet — I’m SO glad that I changed my mind — it seems like a terrible idea now!, even though they’re well regulated here, and, except for the nursing home sections, they’ve been pretty safe, and follow much the same regulations I Follow at home. My thoughts are with you!

Yes, I, too am grateful not to be in such a situation right now as well. They are in independent living and have on of the best care units in the states. And, I’ve found out that for medical reasons (including sorting pills) we are allowed to visit. But yes, I am so grateful not to be living in a complex of this sort now.

Because Garry and I live in our own home, my son, who is taking care of us, has helped enormously but lives in constant fear that we will get sick. He is still working. He has expressed a firm belief that he doesn’t want to lose both parents at the same time. I assure him we share that feeling. But it’s pretty scary and I don’t know when we’ll feel safe going out again.

There are no tests in this county and few in Massachusetts. So this entire county has not been tested at all. There have been deaths, but not provably COVID. My heart goes out to you with the knowledge that we could easily be next and have no way to even know if we have been sick or are getting sick, I know you are doing the best you can. I always wished we could afford a “living facility” but I knew we couldn’t afford one. Now I’m so grateful we didn’t and couldn’t. They seem to be Petrie dishes for those who have the least ability to protect themselves. I don’t think I’ll ever think of senior facilities the same way.

Shame on this country for letting this happen and not having the necessary facilities to care for everyone. I have often thought that younger people wished we were gone, but I think this has changed a lot of attitudes. The older you get, the less valuable you feel. Maybe this will change. I hope your father makes it through to the other side. I hope we ALL make it through!

I’m so sorry to hear about your dad. How sad and frustrating for everyone. I’m glad you have the medical background to fully understand and help.

I was planning on visiting my mom for her 88th birthday in mid-March but her assisted living center was on lock down by then. She’s five miles from the infamous Kirkland nursing home. It’s terrible not being able to visit her, but as soon as this is over, I’ll be there.

I’m so sorry to hear about your dad. How sad and frustrating for everyone. I’m glad you have the medical background to fully understand and help.

I was planning on visiting my mom for her 88th birthday in mid-March but her assisted living center was on lock down by then. She’s five miles from the infamous Kirkland nursing home. It’s terrible not being able to visit her, but as soon as this is over, I’ll be there.

Published by curioussteph

I started this blog, curioussteph.com in 2017, with the intent of exploring both inner and outer curiosities. This was the beginning: By day, I'm a retired family physician turned body-oriented psychotherapist. I garden, travel, am owned by 2 elderly cats, figure skate and am training for my first triathlon.
Three years later, the two elderly cats have crossed the rainbow bridge, and we now have an 11 year old adoptee, Ziggy. I'm done with triathlon and skating for the time being, and I am still physically active, running, biking and walking. It's now the time of the coronavirus, which is affecting us all. Coincident with that, my 90 year old father's replacement aortic valve is failing and he is now in hospice care. I anticipate a variety of current writings, and some of the focus may be on how it is now, with a gravely ill parent, and the constraints of covid 19, and how it all hangs together. We shall see. (4/19/20)
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